


The Fox and the River

by Zuzanny



Category: Original Work
Genre: 2014, Poetry, a song i dreamed word for word, to the tune of Suzanne by Leonard Cohan (with some variation)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26708863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zuzanny/pseuds/Zuzanny
Summary: The fox needed to cross the river as it was flooding. On his way he heard other baby animals crying out for help, and went to save them.





	The Fox and the River

30/06/2014

I dreamt this last night, singing along with the tune of Suzanne by Leonard Cohen. I don't know if it actually fits with that tune. But here it is.

The Fox and the River

By zuzanny

The fox came upon the river

And the dirty, muddy water

While the waves were getting higher

Because the storm was rolling in.

And he knew he had to cross it,

Swim across the rolling river

Because on the other side

Of the cold and dark fathoms

Was his true love,

his children,

his home.

The fox stepped into the water

Of the dirty, rolling river

And the cold bit in his body

Through his thick coat of red fur

But he wouldn't let that stop him

So he paddled ever deeper

And across the churning current,

While the sky above him darkened

And rumbled deep,

and swirled wide,

with the storm.

While the the fox was swimming

He could see the water rising.

Fallen branches started floating

Sometime blocking his straight path.

So he'd climb over those branches

Then sink back into the water

And keep on with his paddling

Until he'd have to do all over and

over, and

over, and

over again.

It happened while he was swimming

That he heard a child's voice calling,

Crying out from somewhere near him

But coming further down the river

Saying the child couldn't swim,

And that he was very frightened,

So the fox strayed from his pathway

His only thought

now bent upon

saving this life.

After dodging and weaving

Round twisted trunks and branches,

The light quickly was fading

As the rain, it started falling,

The fox found a frightened duckling

Standing upon a broken branch.

Fox said, "Climb upon my back, child.

I will take you

'cross the river,

and home."

The fox continued swimming

Through the swelling, churning river

Now a fluffy yellow duckling

Clinging tightly to his collar.

The tiny warmth of his body

almost nothing against the fingers

Of the cold that seeped in under

Searching through

his fur and down to

his bones.

Another voice came calling

Across the swirling mass of water

Though the rain was pouring down now

And the fox could barely hear her.

Still he knew he had to find her

And then offer his assistance,

And though he was quickly tiring

He still tracked

the crying voice

to the mouse.

The fox, with mouse and duckling

Clinging to his soaking fur,

Continued with his swimming,

Though he knew not where they were.

And the sky was fully black now

No guiding light left for his eyes

But the fox was still determined

He would make it.

He would reach it.

The other side.

The water of the river

Continued with it's rising

With the rain adding to it's power

Of a flood which comes in season.

And it swept through all the trees

on the banks and of the forest,

Touching many of the branches

High up in their reaches

which long ago

forgot the feel

of the flood.

High above the raging river

An owl, it it had been watching.

The fox, he was now struggling

Yet still he kept on carrying

A tiny mouse and a duckling.

And though it would be easy

To let the water take him

The owl flew down,

and called out for

the fox to follow.

And what a sight they were!

Fox swam with all his might

Following close behind the owl,

Duck and mouse still clinging tight.

And soon the waters peeked

And though they also chilled him

The fox just kept on swimming

Till his paws did

touch the muddy banks

of the other side.

The fox dragged his tired body

Out of the icy river

And there he fell, exhausted

While the rain still kept on falling.

But duck and mouse refused to leave him

So the owl went quickly flying

To see in he could find the

Place where the fox

and his family

called their home.

The vixen was curled up, resting

With her pups all warm and sleeping

When she heard an owl calling

Through the rain that still was pouring.

And soon the owl had told her

How the fox right now had fallen

And maybe even now was dying

From cold and wet

and deep darkness of

the storm.

The vixen took off running

And soon found the fox still lying

On the banks beside the muddy,

Churned up, icy, flooded river.

And beside him were the footprints

Of many mice, and ducklings

Who had gone off and collected

All to return,

covering him

with dry leaves for warmth.

Many years have passed now

Since the day the river flooded

And the fox saved some other babies

Who would otherwise have drowned.

And in return they saved him

From the icy cold that claimed him.

And still the forest dwellers talk

About this as

they watch and wait

for the next flood.


End file.
